Adidas Recalls Kobe Sneakers Over Quality Control Issue

Adidas’ plan to re-release one of Kobe Bryant’s signature sneakers went awry last week, when a flaw issue caused the brand to recall pairs, some of which had already been sent to stores. Retailers who were meant to launch the Lakers-themed “Sunshine” colorway of the Adidas Crazy 1 tell Complex that in the days leading up to the Oct. 22 launch, Adidas sent a notice that the sneakers had to be sent back due to a quality control issue.

In a correspondence that Adidas sent to one retailer, which was viewed by Complex, the brand was not specific about what was wrong with the shoes. According to one source with knowledge of the recall, the shoes were suffering from creasing in the upper’s foam material.

Adidas did not have a comment on the Crazy 1 release when reached by Complex and the brand hasn’t scheduled a new date for the shoe.

The Adidas Crazy 1 debuted in 2000, then as the Adidas Kobe 1. The brand has brought back the sneaker in retro form before, giving it a new moniker after Bryant left Adidas and signed a deal with Nike in 2003. The latest retro was originally planned for this April, per a leaked Adidas document, but was pushed months back like many other 2022 sneaker releases.

The disappearance of the 2022 retro of the Crazy 1 in the “Sunshine” colorway right before its launch is reflected on social media, where commenters have posted messages wondering why the sneakers never dropped at many stores. The product page for the shoe on Adidas’ website now redirects to show a range of other basketball shoes.

Despite the sneaker not getting a full rollout, pairs have popped up on StockX, suggesting that there are a number in the market that have eluded Adidas’ recall.